Magnetic coil handler



Dec. 13, 1960 B. I. ULlNSKl 2,964,205

IL HAND Filed Nov. 24, 1958 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Dec. 13, 1960 B. I. ULINSKI 2,964,205

MAGNETIC con HANDLER Filed Nov. 24, 1958 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 (7 l a. E- 3 A I n I (VA/ I 5 1'; \9 1o WM Win.

INVENTOR. Bee W504 us (/u/vsK/ United States MAGNETIC coiL HANDLER Bronislaus I. Ulinski, Fiossmoor, Ill., assignor to The Yale and Towne Manufacturing Company, Stamford, Conn., a corporation of Connecticut Filed Nov. 24, 1958, Ser- No. 775,763

1 Claim. (Cl. 214-652) atent coil of steel may be picked up when the axis of the coil is vertical or when it is horizontal, the operation of the attachment moving the coil between either of its two positions through a simple rotation. While the attachment of my earlier patent is extremely desirable, it has been found that the coil of steel must be clamped to permit vertical lifting thereof when it is to be manipulated from one of its positions. This clamping action, due to the heavy weight of the steel coil, tends to damage some of the steel. Where the steel has been tinplated or otherwise treated, or where it is expensive stainless steel, the damage may be rather relatively costly.

I have now conceived through my invention, a means for manipulating a load such as a coil of steel without utilization of clamping means. Thus, I use an electromagnet positioned in particular relation to the load supporting member of my attachment. The relationship is such that the electromagnet holds the load when the load supporting member is not in such position as to hold the load. However, when the load support member is moved to a load supporting position, then the electromagnet is no longer required. The operation of my attachment is so conceived that the electromagnet need be used only for an extremely short period. Thus, the coil of steel is adapted to be transported with its axis horizontal and the coil of steel completely supported, therefore, by the load supporting member of the attachment. The only time that the electromagnet is required to operate is when the load support is in a position in which the force of gravity will tend to move the coil or other load olf the load support.

As a feature of my invention, I utilize a load supporting member extending outwardly from an electromagnet, the electromagnet and the load supporting member being adapted for movement together, preferably by rotation in an axis that is angular both to the vertical and the horizontal. As a particular feature of the invention, the load supporting member is in the form of a ram extending at generally right angles from the surfaces of the electromagnet against which a load is held when the electromagnet is energized. This arrangement, when the ram is in or near a horizontal position, will support the load without the requirement that the electromagnet be energized. Therefore, the electromagnet will only be energized when the ram is inclined towards the vertical or is entirely vertical. Since the ram is in a vertical position only when the load, such as a coil of steel, is being lifted or deposited with its axis vertical, the electromagnet will draw electricity for energization only for very short periods. This makes it possible to utilize the structure in an industrial truck. Those skilled in the art will appreciate that an industrial truck could not utilize an electromagnet for lifting a 20 to 30 ton load were it required that the electromagnet be energized for long periods of time.

I have thus outlined rather broadly the more important features of my invention in order that the detailed description thereof that follows may be better understood, and in order that my contribution to the art maybe better appreciated. There are, of course, additional features of my invention that will be described hereinafter and which will form the subject of the claims appended hereto. Those skilled in the art will appreciate that the conception on which my disclosure is based may readily be utilized as a basis for the designing of other structures for carrying out the several purposes of my invention. It is important, therefore, that the claims be regarded as including such equivalent constructions as do not depart from the spirit and scope of my invention, in order to prevent the appropriation of my invention by those skilled in the art.

A specific embodiment of the invention has been chosen for purposes of illustration and description and is shown in the accompanying drawings.

In the drawings:

Fig. l is a perspective view of the front portion of an industrial truck equipped with my load handling attachment and showing the attachment about to engage a coil;

Fig. 2 is a side elevational view of the truck of 'Fig. 1 showing the load handler in one of its lifting positions relatively to a coil;

Fig. 3 is a view similar to Fig. 2 but showing thecoil lifted off its pallet;

Fig. 4 is a side elevational view of the load handler and .coil with the circumferential surface of the coil facing the pallet;

Fig. 5 is a cross sectional view taken along the lines 5-5 of Fig. 3; and

Fig. 6 is a cross-sectional view taken along the lines 6-6 of Fig. 3.

Referring now to the drawings, and particularly to Figs. 1 and 2, there is shown my novel load handler mounted on the lifting carriage 10 of an industrial truck T. This carriage is supported for vertical movement relatively to a pair of uprights 11 by a pair of hydraulic rams 12 in a manner well known to those persons skilled in the art.

Upon the lifting carriage 10, I mount a forwardly and upwardly extending bracket 14, at the forward portion of which I support a housing 15 that, in turn, carries a pair of tapered roller bearings 16 (Figs. 2 and 3) in an inclined axis. For reasons that will appear, I arrange this axis at 45 to the vertical and horizontal, and I mount a shaft 17 in the bearings 16. A load handling assembly or head 19 is carried on the outer end of this shaft 17. The head 19 extends away from the housing 15, as clearly shown in Figs. 1 to 4, and is of course rotatable with the shaft 16 relatively to the housing 15.

The head 19 supports through bolts 20 a frame 21 that encloses an electromagnet 22 and has formed as a part thereof a ram 24. As shown in Fig. 5, the magnet comprises a central core 25 and field windings 26. I so form the frame 21 that the ram 24 extends outwardly thereof at 45 to the axis of the shaft 17. I prefer to form the ram 24 with a curved surface, as shown at 27, for a purpose that will later be made apparent.

In order to effect rotation of the load handling head 19, and therefore the frame 21 and the ram 24, I provide a hydraulic ram 29 mounted upon a side portion of the housing 15. As shown in Fig. 6, the ram piston 30 is equipped with a rack 31 adapted to reciprocate in openings 32 in the housing 15, the teeth 34 of the rack being enmeshed with the teeth 35 of a gear 36 that is fixed on the shaft 17. It will now be apparent that actuation of the hydraulic ram 29 will efiect rotation of the'shaft 17 and the load handling head 19.

For the purpose of describing the operation of my novel load handler, let us assume that a coil C of strip steel is disposed in the position shown in Fig. 1 resting on one of its fiat sides 37, and that it is desired to rotate the coil into the position shown in Fig. 4, with its circumferential surface facing the pallet. The truck T is moved towards the coil C until the ram 24 extends downwardly directly over the central coil opening 39, as shown in Fig. l. The lifting carriage is lowered relatively to the uprights 11 through actuation of the hydraulic rams -12 and the ram 27 enters the coil opening bringing the frame 21 in juxtaposed relation to the top fiat side 37 of the coil, as shown in Fig. 2.

At this point in the cycle, the operator energizes the electromagnet 22 to grip the coil and then raises the carriage 10 to the position of Fig. 3. The magnet, of

course, holds the cord against sliding off the ram 24. As soon as the coil is raised to a level providing sufficient clearance, the hydraulic ram 29 is actuated so that its piston 30 and rack teeth 31 (Fig. 6) rotate the shaft 17 and the head 19 through an angle of 180, thereby bringing the ram 24 and coil C to the position shown in Fig. 4, with the ram axis horizontal and the circumferential surface 40 of the coil C facing the pallet 38. The operator may de-energize the electromagnet as soon as the angle of the ram 24 is such that it will support the full weight of the coil on its curved surface 27. The coil may now be transported to any desired location, or may be deposited on its circumferential surface 40 merely by lowering it to the ground and backing the truck until the ram 24 clears the central coil opening.

Naturally, the ram 24 may also be inserted into the central opening of a coil resting on its circumferential surface 4t) to lift the coil for transport to a desired location at which point, it may be lowered or rotated and deposited on its flat side. In that event, the magnet will be energized as soon as ram 24 is so positioned that the coil will slide ofi the ram, until it is desired to deposit the coil.

From the foregoing description, it will be seen that I have contributed a load handler by which a coil of steel or any type of load having an opening, may be picked up when the coil axis is horizontal or vertical, and rotated between either of its two positions without the use of clamps and attendant damage to the coil. It will also be seen that I use a ram and an electromagnet in such relation that the magnet is energized to hold the load only when the ram is not in position to support the load. Because of this relationship, it will be understood that the magnet need only be energized for relatively short periods of time, since the coil will always be transported with its axis horizontal and its weight entirely supported by the ram. Further, while not shown here I have contributed automatic means for closing and opening the magnetic circuit at correct points depending on the posi tion of the ram. Further, I may control the traction of my truck so that the truck will not move when the magnet is energized incidental to the movement of a load.

I believe that the construction and operation of my novel construction will now be understood, and that the advantages of my invention will be fully appreciated by those persons skilled in the art.

I now claim:

In an industrial truck, uprights mounted on said truck, a lifting carriage mounted for vertical movement on said uprights, a load handling head for upending a load, means mounting said head on said carriage for rotation about an axis extending downwardly and away from the truck at approximately to the vertical, said head having a load supporting ram extending at approximately 45 to said axis of rotation, an electric magnet extending outwardly from said ram at one end of said ram for holding a load on said ram, and means for rotating said head about said axis of rotation to move said ram between a position in which said ram extends in a horizontal direction outwardly of said truck and a position in which said ram extends in a downwardly vertical direction with the electric magnet above the lower end of said ram.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,630,931 Douglas Mar. 10, 1953 2,758,725 Collyer Aug. 14, 1956 2,770,380 Anderson Nov. 13, 1956 2,817,450 Ulinski Dec. 24, 1957 

